How brand Kapil Dev is being dressed up in a new coat of paint with '1983'

A movie, being made on one of the country's most audacious World Cup victories, wins the Haryana Hurricane a chance to revive his brand

For years Kapil Dev has been little else than a memory, or at the most a fading patch in a scrapbook from the eighties. The man who once struck terror on the cricket field and won hearts outside, with his rustic plain speak, has been long gone from the public eye. But now as a movie around the Indian cricket team’s 1983 World Cup victory gets ready for release in April, Brand Kapil is being dressed up in a new coat of paint. 

In the promotions for the movie ‘83, Kapil Dev is the key person of interest. His role is being essayed by Ranveer Singh and the two together are driving the buzz around the upcoming release. Short videos of his bowling action, interactions with the movie crew and images that hark back to his famous 175 not out against Zimbabwe in the 1983 World Cup are all part of the promotional thrust. 

There is also a steady supply of ‘Kapil Paaji’ (elder brother) stories shared by Ranveer Singh on social media with the two also coming together in memes and tweets. Slowly, the movie, the actor and the cricketer are being melded into an indistinguishable composite and turned into the pivot for film’s nostalgia pitch. 

Is this then a fresh lease of life for the cricketing legend’s endorsement career?

At present, he endorses a short list of brands, mostly hardware firms and tech start-ups in which he has also picked up a stake. He is the ambassador for AIPL ABRO, a hardware, construction chemicals and auto care solutions company, Vaoo, a cab aggregator that offers free rides in exchange for viewing advertisements, SRMB Steel and previously was the face for Samco Securities. Dev has also recently launched an eponymous clothing line for men. 

Among the early cricketers to have jumped on to the endorsement track, Dev was the face of Palmolive in his heyday and his unforgettable rendering of the line ‘Palmolive da jawaab nahi,’ (nothing compares with...) still defines him and the shaving cream. He is also remembered for his ad for the health drink Boost, it had him running into the morning sun and mouthing the line, “Boost is the secret of my energy". His endorsements dried up soon after he retired and he found himself under the scanner over match fixing allegations. All that is now history , however, and Dev’s image is being remade into that of a straight talking, talented sportsman-mentor.

 “Once the movie goes out, I think people will only respect him more and that it will add a lot to his brand value,” Jimeet Modi, chief executive officer at Samco Securities said.

Sandeep Goyal, chief mentor, Indian Institute of Human Brands (IIHB) and an old advertising hand believes that Dev’s brand is still relevant. While he may need some help managing the twists and turns of the endorsement track, he has what brands want. “I was Kapil’s contemporary at DAV College Chandigarh, I saw the legend grow and I was there when he was shooting his first Boost ad in 1986, all brawn, all muscle and all energy. Zero airs, zero attitude. The Kapil Dev brand is the original on which the current Dhoni brand is built,” he adds. No one but Kapil would have agreed to endorse Rapidex (English speaking courses) and admitted to his poor knowledge of the language in those years, Goyal points out. But that is Kapil, honest and uncomplicated, these are values brands can harness even today.

“He is also seen, because of his seniority, as a person bringing in a lot of credibility,” adds Modi, which has endeared him to start-ups looking for a reputational boost to their brands.

Dev’s earthiness, sagacity and lack of artifice may be valuable, but can he speak to the young, who have never seen him play? “There are a lot of people who connect with him, but the younger lot may not. Jasprit Bumrah is much more of a hero to them than Kapil Dev,” said Pops K V Sridhar, senior brand consultant and founder, chief creative officer at HyperCollective. He believes that brands can draw upon Dev’s experience to add credibility to their stories. And there is no doubt that the movie will bring in a bunch of endorsements and a fresh look at the man as a brand. Will it lead to something bigger and lasting, the jury is out on that one.